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As an icon of Thailand, elephants are as prevalent as orchids or gold-adorned temples. A white elephant - an auspicious symbol of royalty in the Kingdom - figured on the Thai national flag until 1917, and the animal also features prominently in Buddhism and Hinduism.

Today, particularly in the north of the country, elephants still represent a connection with the country's rural past. While their numbers have dwindled to a fewer than 3000 from more than 100.000 a century ago, many now are linked with tourism rather than with forestry.

A number of groups have come to see why these beautiful beasts should be protected. That explains why Thailand's elephants, as well as more mundane tasks such as ferrying tourists about, paint and why they play music.

But most importantly, despite their enormous size - at their peak, adults weight up to 4.500 kilograms - when treated properly, these are gentle creatures.